Lemon Risotto with Prosciutto

You, you, you outta know.From the moment I decided to begin my endeavors in the culinary world, (roughly Freshman year of college when I had no other choice but Ramen or the cafeteriyuck), one of the dishes I was smitten with right away was risotto. It wasn’t a question of why - the creamy, gooey texture and the endless opportunities for mix-ins - but more of a question of how simple it could be. Here I present, after many failed attempts, the easiest (and most delectable) recipe of risotto to you.

Slice prosciutto: Take the prosciutto out of the package and start slicing it into little slivers. Feel free to trim off any excess fatty pieces, as you will not lose any flavor!! The greatest thing about this thin meat is that it is already chuck full of goodness without needing much help at all.

Lightly saute: Set a medium sized saute pan over medium heat, and once it’s good and hot place the prosciutto into the pan. Move the meat around in the pan with a wooden spoon ever so often, and make sure the slivers are starting to crisp- but not burn. Once the slivers are crispy, take them out of the pan and place them on a plate to the side.

Saute onion: In the same pan, add 2 tbs. of olive oil with 1 tbs of butter and let melt a little. Put the whole diced onion into the pan and saute over medium heat for about 5 mins, and then add the minced garlic.

Warm chicken broth: While the onions and garlic are cooking down, place the 4 cups of chicken broth into another small saucepan over high heat and cover.

Add rice to onions: Pour the 1 1/8 cups of rice into the onion pan, and stir. Cook the rice in the pan for a good 10 mins over med-low heat, but remember to stir it around! Add about large pinch of salt, and a smaller pinch of pepper.

Add broth to rice: You'll now take one ladle at a time of that hot chicken broth, and pour it into the rice mix while stirring. Once the broth starts bubbling and absorbing into the rice, slowly but surely you can add another ladle. This is a task indeed… but worth every swirl of the spoon around the pan.

Simmer: Once you have added all of the broth, set the heat of the pan to simmer and cover. You’re not quite off the hook, as you still need to stir every couple of mins, but at this point there is much less devotion required. Once you can see that most all the liquid has been absorbed, go ahead and add the prosciutto back into the risotto pan.

Season: Now for the herbs. I tossed in about 8 basil leaves that were chopped up in slivers, as well as the rosemary. I also squeezed in the lemon juice (hold the lemon with the cut-side up so the seeds don’t spurt into the pan).

Finish with cheese: Don’t worry, you’re almost done I promise! Stir in your cup of parmesan, along with your cap-full of Balsamic vinegar… and you are ready to devour! I recommend putting a little extra parm on the top of your dish to present- it looks great, and basically my motto is the more cheese, the cheerier I am.

If you make this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, let me know what you think + be sure to tag any pictures with #TheSavvySpoonon Instagram!